IRC
El Gato
Tire

Product Description

If you’re twisted enough to compete in trials, or you’re one of those people who commute all winter while normal folks retreat to the comfort of their heated Subaru™, then you need a pair of El Gatos. Featuring a wide 2.25 square profile, high grip rubber compound and near-indestructible SPR System sidewalls. Everything but a coupon for free psychiatric evaluation. Click on the image to the left for an enlarged photo showing tread detail and related product specifications.

User Reviews

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
chill dizzl

Date Reviewed: September 22, 2012

Strengths: Crazy grip.

Weaknesses: Heavy. Expensive if not a closeout/leftover.

Bottom Line:

These tires are indeed heavy compared to the current 2012 lineup, but they still grip like crazy. If you can find them on closeout and aren't a racer, they are the best. I do burn through a set in a season though, maybe a little faster than others. I wish I bought some extras when I found them on closeout.

Anyone getting pinch flats is likely not a smooth rider... if trials riders are not pinching with these, it's probably your technique.

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Summerland B C Canada

Date Reviewed: September 25, 2006

Strengths: Lotsa rubber. Paddle middle for going up and down and double row side knobs for smooth and progressive sidehill action. Surprisingly low rolling resistance. Comfy ride at 40 psi. Wears as well as anything else.

Weaknesses: Supposedly weak sidewall, but it's already almost 900g and probably 700 of that in the tread! Haven't blown one yet, but...picks up lots of weeds in the closely spaced side knobs. Isn't trendy. Feels goofy, but works, on pavement.

Bottom Line:

This tire has lots of flexible rubber on the ground so the slide and hookup thing is really smooth. With skill you can crawl up amazing things, but brute force is not so rewarded, as the knobs keel over, especially if you are a heavy rider [I'm 165] . At higher speeds and agressive loads, it's just another, and a bit too heavy, tire. But it reliably gets me to the finesse bits where it shines. It's an almost historical design that is still in production, so there must be a reason. I went through a period of knob shedding and sidewall blowing - grrr$$$- which stopped when I got on these, so I guess by comparison to some its an economy tire, especially on a per pound basis! I gave it five chilis for still entertaining me after two seasons.

Strengths: Lotsa rubber. Paddle middle for going up and down and double row side knobs for smooth and progressive sidehill action. Surprisingly low rolling resistance. Comfy ride at 40 psi. Wears as well as anything else.

Weaknesses: Supposedly weak sidewall, but it's already almost 900g and probably 700 of that in the tread! Haven't blown one yet, but...picks up lots of weeds in the closely spaced side knobs. Isn't trendy. Feels goofy, but works, on pavement.

Bottom Line:

This tire has lots of flexible rubber on the ground so the slide and hookup thing is really smooth. With skill you can crawl up amazing things, but brute force is not so rewarded, as the knobs keel over, especially if you are a heavy rider [I'm 165] . At higher speeds and agressive loads, it's just another, and a bit too heavy, tire. But it reliably gets me to the finesse bits where it shines. It's an almost historical design that is still in production, so there must be a reason. I went through a period of knob shedding and sidewall blowing - grrr$$$- which stopped when I got on these, so I guess by comparison to some its an economy tire, especially on a per pound basis! I gave it five chilis for still entertaining me after two seasons.

I bought this tire because I was tired of flat spotting rims when the tire (velociraptor) was at proper pressure. Since it was a trials tire I didn't think it would fare too well on trails but I was very wrong. I have had zero pinch flats with it and no more rim denting. It grips fantastic on loose and muddy stuff. It is by far the best loose terrain climbing tire i have used. Great price too. After a few years of riding however, I am starting to develop some sidewall abrasions/soon to be cuts, but thats kind of expected. 4 chilis for overall due to the weight.

Strengths: Grippy and very secure in wide variety of ROCKY terrain (not much soil here). I abuse them almost daily on hard xc DH w/really sharp rocks (ALL trails here are rocky rocky rocky - sandstone, basalt, limestone) and a number of trailside cacti, w/ no punctures yet. I've been riding for about a year after 7 year lay-off, I'm kinda sloppy and way too fast, so I POUND!

Weaknesses: none that I can tell. WAY better than my last tires!

Bottom Line:

Most of my friends are much more experienced than I, and though I may not have the grace (or a full suspension ride like they), I keep up on climbs and downhill w/o slipping around. I just don't slide. Everyone wants my tires!

Weaknesses: Wear fast (duh, you don't get grip without wear...)A bit heavy at 800+g, but not bad on the back.

Bottom Line:

My friends and I find this tire works great on the back for winter trail/technical riding including snow, mud, wet roots, and not bad when a bit icy. I can get up very sketchy climbs on barely packed snow, sidehills seem ok, and braking is pretty good too. The 2.25" size is just the right fit on my bike (Rokko 2.4 was rubbing on the rear stays, but it has great rear grip too).

Get one and put it on the back wheel if you want a soft, grippy tire for anything loose or slippery. This tire Climbs!

Bike Setup: FSR XC, B4 disks, El Gato on the back (mounted "backwards" so the scoops can grip), still looking for the right front tire.

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Submitted by
SGT. ROCK
a Racer
from Edmonton, AB

Date Reviewed: July 9, 2002

Strengths: Cheap for a big Kevlar tire (thanks, MEC)

Weaknesses: Heavy for a non-reinforced casing tire

Bottom Line:

IRC makes good tires - other manufacturers may beat them with one model or another, but overall their product line is great. I use the Mythos XC as my XC race tires, and they rock. The El Gato is basically a beefed up Mythos XC rear - taller knobs, wider casing, flatter profile for a bigger contact patch. The tread profile is virtually identical - centre paddles alternating with directional knobs. The Gato simply adds a third directional knob where the Mythos has a gap.

I wanted a freeride tire that was tough, but performed like an XC tire in climbing, cornering and braking. The Gato is it. I'll run it with a DH tube to prevent pinch flats on the drops. Paired with a Kujo 2.35 DH on the front, I should have a great trail setup.

Strengths: It grips like hot glue!!!!It is light for a 2.25.I can't see how anyone can puncture one.They're f***ing awsome.I will never use anything else

Weaknesses: ????????

Bottom Line:

These tires won't slip.I'm runnig about 25-30 psi.When i do a gap and land right on the edge it never slips unlike tiogas.They cushion everything so it feels like you've landed it mint even if you haven't.I payed £30.This tire is great for trials.

Weaknesses: Could be wider.. but then it would be heavierSidewalls could be stiffer, but again, then it would be heavier

Bottom Line:

I ride urban trials quite a bit. I have 6 years of XC experience and not quite 1 year of trials. I'm not fantastic at it, as I haven't learned to lurch yet, but I do a lot of stuff that tests this tire- hopping up steps, 3-4' dropoffs, and occasionally leaping down staircases and such to break the slow-speed monotony. This tire holds up well for me. I run about 30 PSI and I weigh 180#, and I've only pinch flatted once despite missed j-hops up ledges and staircases. I decided to try this one to shed the weight of the Kujo I used to use. The Kujo's sidewalls are much thicker and stronger, so you have to run higher PSI with this one, but the softer sidewalls mean you get good wraparound and good traction even with higher PSI. The soft rubber really grips noticeably better on concrete and steel too. I've gone for 3-foot j-hops that I didn't get the back tire up high enough for, so the tire contacted the edge just behind the bashguard, and the tire help its grip well enough to allow me to hop the rest of the way up. I'm really fond of this tire.

I bought this tire hoping it would be as good as all the hype said it was, and all I can say is I sure wasted my money! I used to run 15-20 PSI on my Tioga DH's without every pinching, and now with these crappy El Gato's I even pinch at 35 PSI...what kinda of sh*tty tires are these anyway? I took a look at them more carefully...they have the same weak, thin, and floppy casing as IRC's XC tires, they're not even close to 2.25" in width, and they still weight 850g! Sorry IRC, but you really blew it this time.

Strengths: man these tires are da shaznat!!! man in the summer spring and fall i love them!!!

Weaknesses: suck azz in the snow

Bottom Line:

These tires are wicked in everything but snow... i took my bike out the other day, my friend and i went out to slide around in the snow... he runs irc also(backwoods) man in the snow he was just wastin me!!! my tires plugged with snow like a whOrre workin all night... they blew n#ts soo bad i was gonna take em off and burn them!!! But then you have to remember, yes they are a trials tire, yes they do work AWESOME on dry, anything summer...so i decided to keep em.. and i also read, another review on these tires saying you get better traction if you reverse the direction... i am gonna do that tonite cuz were goin snowin tommorrow!!! happy trails!!!

Submitted by
Joe Bob the 16inch bikerider
a Weekend Warrior
from Vic, BC, Can

Date Reviewed: November 17, 2000

Strengths: Not too tall, grippy. Good width.

Weaknesses: Not enough pinch flat resistance

Bottom Line:

This tire has been a great confidence builder. I got it for NUTT'N, which is sweet. I use this tyre in the back, and I run it fairly low to take up some of the shock of a hardtail. I do mostly urban riding so the landings ain't exactly soft. But this tire has made it much more bearable. The only problem is there isn't quite enough flat protection, but I got it for free so it still gets 5 peruvian hot peppers for value.

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